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Photographic 

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Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  l.TltiiET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  Mlii? 

(716)  872-4503 


<p 


s.r*  ^,  ^ 


^       ^ms^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historlques 


\ 


\ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniquas  at  bibiiographiquas 


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D 


D 


D 
D 


D 
D 


n 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


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10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


J 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


I 

tails 
I  du 
odifier 
une 
mage 


Trie  copy  filmed  her*  ha*  b**n  r*produc*d  thanks 
to  th*  g*n*ro*ity  of: 

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Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
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la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  Y  (meaning  "END  "). 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbol*  ^^-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  i  des  taux  de  rAdjction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clichA,  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


rata 


leiure. 


1 

2 

3 

I2X 


!,.■   *-  . 

2 

1     ■ 

3 

4 

5 

6 

INTOLERANCE: 


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CASE    OF    JOHN    RYAN. 


Hoirlang  wilMtbe  before  mankind  will  have  sufHcieftt  wisdom 't<» 
cow^that  the  certainty  of  truth  and  the  sstfety  of  the  public,  depend 
lore  on  the  mora]  character,  uprightness  of  conduct)  and  well  knoewn 
VQ^^  and  integrity  than  it  does  on  the  religious,  of  i^pposed  irreli- 
l<»l^heUef  of  any  man  whatever?  Mankind  are  to  be  tested  by  their 
eneipl  character  and  conduct^  aild  !^t  by  (heir  speculati're  notions^ 
pi«i<m8t  or  belief.  Until  these  rnlet  shall  be  generally  adopted,  the 
ett  &Cmenxn9j  be  set  aside,  and  ^fHhr  cilfjtl  rights  and  privileges  de- 
iedi  ^tiijWmk  the  testimony  ofiteies  iiiid  hypocrit^iB  will  have  to  be 
diwiKtod  M  ffood :tela| etid«oce.    ,f :.  ^  ■  '[.'■' ■■■  ,'   ,  ^' --■ 

Th,«  fojiowuiip  case  k  onlv  0ne  9m^g  seteral  that  have  already  oc- 
ir|«d^  not  00%  ttitder  the  laws  of  fiih^nid)  i^tijt  alsiot  of  these  stzif  es, 
i^'iUm  more  will  probably  occur,  and  ihemme  mfHOi^  t^ome  more 
3n«i»i    But  few  yet,  compara|iyely,,^ll^e  |*crtBi<WI  enough^  ^ 
ige  the  truth,  to  their  own^^  dila4i^^i»a|[^^  in  tl^e  eyes  of  a  religi 
imunity.    No,  they  will  sooaier  ii^  the  part  olt*ii  hypop^^Ur.    But  it 
the  highest  degree  praisewortli^i  when  people  i<rf^^^^         t6>  be  hon- 
spite  of  public  opiju.on|  anl  pl^ll  i^ 
""^  ijuise  of.religw)^  w®"^^^*^f^o]|f  itpti         in  the  eyes  of  thj^ 

||B|#e  characteiv  anil  scch  it  O30  hard  case  oriT  J^hw  Btan,  of 

I,  Lower  Cana4a,  who  stands  high  ts  a  moral  and  upright  n^n, 

TagtJ^^i   bat/:7ho  is    supposed  to    be  incompetent  to  Ull  ai]pf 

..^f  tooi^  i|^4 iecnUdemce,  becau#i&,  on  acconnt  of  his  belief,  he  i» 

'"]  to  hit  miM^\i^B^ttom  taking  an  oath — or,  in  other  irords,  frot& 

'legiltdtsumony  vnder   oath.    He  has  already  been,|Rt  «iS«i* ' 

^rolihan  once  on  tliit jgrtycdid^  as  the  following  statement 

|{epeti^m#  MCjUKlPi^incial  Parliament  of  LoWttf 

4«es8; 

fccot,  hi 


The, 


illbate  in  the  House  of 
-iJMerred  toUie  Standili|r 


'^tJ»e  ^liPM^  or  Memoria)  here  refe 

^ih^  Peoph  of  Lower  Camtdif^.^ 
m$mb$ed,  J''^" 

%l^i  a  mtin  of  Lower  <^MMiia^ 

r!a'list,%ithi^'|^ 
e  in  tl^ljii|)i«l 


;i, 


U.^C&fl>tfc>.         .i  ? 


sions  in  this  city,  touching  the  moral  delinquency  of  one  John  Bccktord. 
Irrelevant  questions  were  put  to  your  Memorialist,  and  thoug-h  consci- 
entiously replied  to,  the  Court  declared  your  Memorialist'H  evidence 
inadmissible,  and  the  culprit  set  at  large. 

That  in  the  month  of  August  last,  William  Phillip?,  one  of  the  Jus- 
ticea  of  the  Peace  for  the  District,  refused,  (in  consequence  of  the  be- 
forementioned  rejection)  the  attestation  of  your  Memorialist. 

That  on  the  ninth  instant,  P.  X.  Persault,  one  of  the  District  Clerks 
of  the  Peace,  suffered  not  your  Memorialist  to  depose  relative  to  the 
moral  turpitude  of  a  youth  of  this  city,  and  who  was  not  proceeded 
against. 

That  your  Memorialist  as  Agent  to  the  Montreal  Steam  Tow  Boat 
Coa)|»any  in  this  city,  enjoys  a  corofortabie  situation,  the  Aonscious 
result  or  years  of  probity  and  assiduity.  Incompetency  as  a  witm^i. 
wiil  not  onljr  deprive  your  Memorialist  of  his  present  employmfent^  iiot 
prove  a  serious  obstacle  in  earnings  a  subsistence  for  a  numerous  1ktitA\f 
wholly  dependent  on  your  Memorialist. 

AVherefore  your  Memorialist  earnestly  implores  restoration  of  ei|VH-^; 
rights.     And  as  in  duty  bound,  grateftilly  acknowledged.  ;'     * 

5ghn  RWf^. 

Quebec,  24th  Dec.  1831. 

The  facts  as  appeared  befbte  the  CoQunittee,,  and  their  1*^drt  th«>W>* 
on,  are  the  following,  which  we  copy  from  the  "  Canadian  <3oitrft!iti** 

Committee  Room,  House  of  Assombly.  Present  Messrs.  Ctiie^l, 
President,  Duval,  Morin,  and  Vijgfeii'* 

Evidence  of  John  M^em,    On  the^ltth  of  July  last,  I  attended  the 
Courts  of  Q,i:artbr  Se^ion  in  this  City,  to  give  evidence  in  stippoTt  o! 
an  indictmeitt  aifiaiinst  one  Jolm  Becltf(yr4t  for  larceny,    llav'ing^  b«if^j 
Kworn,  ^BB  at  the  instance  of  the  ]>e^Bdaht9  Council  sworn,  den»v<^ 
the  Fbi  ihre  to  answer  such  questions  as  should  theti  be  put  %^ 
The  first  question  was  in  tlieicib wing  wordki — 

Of  what  religion  are  you  ? 

Tasked  to  know  what  he  m«{tmt by  religion,  on  it^ieii^lgl'iRtked  nM 
if  I  btHiv«d  la  a  God  ?  ,?^ ', , 

Jo  this  l^nswered  No,  not  in  the  (ifcod  of  the  J«w«  Ot0lir|jrtiiii»#^ 

W|«  Couit  deliberated  and  decided  that  I  was  an  iac<^|p||^!^ilt 

S^    W^^you  asked  do  you  lielii^^i&v%/»t«^^'«Ute  of 
>T«ai^>oiiishnients  ?  : 


1^1(1  the  lAonth  of  Augast  last,  I 

^Ikm^^if  the  Justices  of  the  V^tl^ti 
ti^  that  he  should  recdve  i^  || 
bh  I  thoa  placed  befoifohim.  ^. 

deelejion  given  in  tbt  €|tt«ft«[^liMMj|^,4. 

Hi^d  w.  Piiiiiips  a«^  ktioiM^m^Mimk^^iii^ 

,io|is?V'  '-  '        '    '^^.^^   ■JW*''- 

d  ftidn4itdil  tU«  truth  ^f^  %fiVi  vmn  n^tfeh  ||||i||ltiiiua 


^^W^P^WBWiKfc-'-i 


•ijfciiS^* 


On  the  f>th  Dec.  la;it,  F.  X.  PcrrauU,  Esq.  one  of  the  Clcrloi  of  the 
Peace  declined  to  draw  up  my  deposition  as  i.s  usually  done  by  him,  as- 
iiignins^  the  .lamo  reason  as  Mr.  Piiillipd. 

Inf'rrogaL'd.     Did  W.  P.  ask  you  if  you  believed  in  a  future  state 
of  rewards  and  punishments? 
Answer.     No. 

February  18th,  the  Committee  reported  as  follows  :— 
<  ornmittoe  on  Courts  of  Justice.    Present  Messrs.  Q,uesnel,  President ; 
Panet,  Viger,  Duval,  and  Morin. 

On  the  Memorial  of  John  Hyan.  Your  Committee,  aflor  having  ex- 
amined the  Petitioner,  on  the  merits  of  his  petition,  and  the. circum- 
stance that  gave  rise  to  it,  are  unanimously  of  opinion,  Uiat  tliis  House 
I  ciuinot  interfere  in  this  particular  case.  Thut  the  law  of  the  land,  rel- 
'  ^tive  to  the  oath  to  be  taken  by  Witness,  in  Che  several  Courts  of  S^s- 
'  ticA,  wm  explicit,  and  in  conformity  to  the  said  laws,  the  Petitioner  haV- 
r^  rtffbsed  to  comply  to  take  the  usual  oath,  and  not  having  demanded 
\'!fib1»if»  the  said  oath,  under  any  of  the  forms  allowed  by  l&w,  the  Peti- 
I  istotv^  eaoDot  be  admitted}  as  an  evidence. 

Tho  whole  humbly  submitted.        [Signed] 
I  J.  A.  QUESNELL,  President.    . 

!Slr.  Neilson-said,  that  he  should,  as  having  presented  the  petition,  if 
it  hftd  not  ht&A  too  late  in  the  Session,  he  would  have  moved  for  the  re- 
port to  be  referred  to  a  Committee  of  the  whole  House ;  bnt  he  would 
jn[«|rose  that  the  consideration  of  it  should  be  resumed  next  Session. — 
;^ni  was  not  however  presaed^  and  the  nittiter  dropped. 
i  \  pti  the  above  we  shall  offer  af^v^  word*  \»f  way  of  comnieut  First, 
iip  order  te  brinff  the  subject  fiiirlf  before  our  readers,  \ve  extract  the 
|m|owin|f  from  the  **■  Quebec  Gaaette*'  of  lanaary  3,  IB'^  which  gives 
outline  of  the  debates  in  the  House  of  Assembly. 
V  Neilson  presented  a  {>et}tion  from  Jolhn  Ryan  atating[  that  on  it 
Ir^re  the  Q.uarter  Sessions  of  Q^u^i^bec  of  a  man  fordetrandiug  tho 

rieam  Tow  Boat  Company,  in  which  he  (Mr.  Ryan,)  as  agent,  was  the 
pfmecuU>tf  certain  irrelevant  questions  were  put  to  him,  after  lie  hkd 
^m  sworn,  in^  iiseiase^iKuttce  of  his  answers  to  which,  the  CoBml-xei^MNBd 
|oJ|imit  his  teilAkoony,  and  the  pskoner  was  discharg^^d;  tM  pn  an- 
'w^_  occasion,  in  \he  moftth  of  August  last,  having  ap(died  to^a  Ins  ' 
$f  the. Peace  for  a  wjarraltt  te  take  up  a  man  for  larceny,  the  ll 
(iised  to  talltfcliiK  ba^tlM^  be  could  not  obtain  a  warrant  i  "^' 
ilar  w:ay  on  t^ijjyfellfccember  instant,  the  Clerk  of  Ibe 
&|«tally  i^^iWHHHK^  oath ;  and  praying  for  «  vesieralio|t 
nsthtAi  wlMllXnSa^lKlieen  deprived. 

^^■'■^iW^WwM'0^'W^^^  iniphed  a  reflection, 
the  igtfiplirJlP^-W-dfeyk  of  the  Peace,  wi' ' . 

Mt  w«s  sensible  of  the  greaf 
^,  pistitioner  from  the  inptgr 
i^iniMr  liad  placed  himself  |  wiskM 
the  |te#^erwaa  a  mauef  Ifti^foiw 
rming  aft^b^  tinttes  to.  si 

'm 


employeifti 


[n  nlM  ^0 
^tineerel 
^cter 
Tianaer, 


perfo: 


'!-M&    .... 


r  the 

1,  as- 
stttte 


lent ; 


nately  there  wasone4ittle  bhmish,  notin  his  chancter,butin  ln?<  licad. 
Oil  one  point  the  man  was  cracked  in  tiie  head — there  was  a  point  up- 
on which  he  was  actually  insane.  He  does  not  believe  in  a  Gnl,  or  in 
a  future  state,  and  this  he  avowed  in  the  court.  The  court  could  thnrc- 
fore  do  no  otherwise  than  rufuse  his  testimony  ;  such  is  the  law  of  the 
land — those  who  do  not  believe  in  a  God  of  some  kind  or  other,  or  in  a 
future  state,  are  not  admissible  as  witnesses  in  any  of  our  courts.  Tins 
is  a  perfectly  free  coimtry  as  to  religious  opinions  ;  there  can  be  no  ob- 
jection to  his  professing  any  religion  or  no  religion,  Atheism,  Deism, 
or  MahometanisnSI ;  but  if  he  boasts  publicly  of  his  atheism,  he  ought  to 
know,  JUid  must  abide  the  consequence.  But  the  plain  truth  is,  that  in 
tills  particular  pairt  the  man  is  insane. 

Mr.  Neiison  did  not  want  to  know  any  tiling  but  that  the  petitioner 
ptayed  for  a  restoration  of  civil  rights.  If  any  individual  in  *^*^ 
thinks  himself  injured  in  them,  his  oul^  recourse  was  to  come  t»„^m9 
House,  and  pray  for  redress.  Law  objections  having  been  made,  jt 
would  be  right  to  refer  the  petition  to  the  Standing  C(munittoe  ea 
Courts  of  Justice* 

Mr.  Stuart  bad  by  no  mean*  meaM  any  ditrespect  either  to  tiiff  ItdH^ , 
orable  member  or  the  individnalin  qoestioo.  He  and  eveiy  1i*Qiil9^  Ittitfir , 
Mr.  Ryan  as  a  person  who  was  irreproachably  correct  hi  Vs  eoate^^i, 
and  in  every  remtion  of  life ;  andneiwilUistanding  any  speeqiative  opfeti* 
ions  he  might  entertain,  his  eiHiseienUouBnes^t  was  displayed  b}^  liii^ 
very  declaration  which  had  hrmigbt  this  inconvenience  upon  himiiliii 
the  more  so, as  it  was  evidently  a|^iest  his  own  manifest  intereet^f* 
that  this  weoldbe  hlgll^#j^rioneto  Mbi  in  his  prospects  in  tifei^^f^l 
be  evidentj'l^it  mu^iniie^ss«tSy  d^^^  otherwise  very  nw#"^^'"^ 

man,  with  a  toily,  of  ^  »d«aiB^  sltnatien  which  he 

with  a  credit  and  eapiiE^y  that  1^i>d^^t^-0      met  with. 
S.)  vegrretted  this  as  much  as  an^  pf»^  bat  it  could  not  be  helped. 

Mr.  Neilscm  withiittt  fuHher|dv«Ftif»ig  to  the  injinrioas  con      ' 
to  the  petjtk^ner,  would  say  ^t  he  |ii«dr  had  heardtbe  «)tf  h 
eion  enti,  on  his  moral  charactet^  nor,  he  believed,  had  mf9m  evir  ii^, 
puted  1^  least  reproach  to  li1&*  E^to  as  the  father  of  m  fkmily,  %  vref 
4i^0ted  jpatizeb,  and  an  indefiiiid^ie  agent  f<Sarhi»ei^|^ers ;  ai|^;i! 
.i«^,r|pire}y  happened  that  one  individual  eiiyM.oeaaiiii«0^ 
;;^J^  tougue  of  Zander  had  never  wagged.  ' 

ll^etition  was  then  referred  to.  the  Stvadtng  Committee  on  Cou 

^^^^  Chronicle"  there  is  a  r^m-i^ifS^Mj^^le  on  thk 
"tibanaix  columns,  written  witEi0h0i<mm  talent, 
.ii^^i  arguments  asKin^^^ail,  aii4  |!|49«t*cMpt  hav< 
i^yiei:  must  use,  to  hold  theiir  dQi««i|ie^ri]|^  iwtiy  ov«f  r6a|j 
n  siiK^.    The  whole  artMijIe  aniouip|^#iJtiis  i,  to  wit ;  t  ^ 
it  divide  df  kings,  or  any  othel?  a^^|^i^;^y|^  oi'  todoul 
of  11^  church,  is  tanta^oantt»)i|iEjft:<ii^^  of  evej 

teiil^^JTson  an  ouU'i^ 

%ntpathi2^  S^^^y  ^^^^  ^^'  ^y^  ^^  regret^ 
'■^  :^,^^<^il^te,  oeing  such  an>|il^s^  ana  up- 


I 


6 

rigiit.  man,  as  to  liave  his  "head  a  little  cracked!"     And  even  the  wor- 
thy President  of  the  Committee  seemed  to  think  a  ^litllc  hypocrisy^  would 
liave  suited  his  turn  much  better  I     It  is  not  .so  mudi  for  Mr.  Ryan,  l)Ut 
for  the  people  for  whom  and  with  whom  they  should  sympathize.     One 
villain,  it  would  seem  has  escaped  punishment  already ;  and  how  many 
more  will  escape  time  only  will  determine.    They  will  no  longer  need 
the  darkness  of  the  niirht  to  cover  their  villiany; — but' in  the  pre- 
sence of  such  honest  men  as  John  liyan, — men  who  are  too  honest  to 
lie,  or  even  to  dissemble  to  save  their  reputation,  they  may  go  on  in 
open  day  light,  steal,  rob,  ravish,  murder,  or  set  fire  to  your  dwellingfs, 
and  all  witii  impunity.     And  why  ?    Why !  forsooth — it  is  bocauae  that 
men  who  are  too  honei^t  to  be  hypocrites  are  not  to  be  belived;  and  no 
oth^ltt  being  witnesses  to  the  fact,  the  culprit  or  culprits  must  **  be  ac- 
nuitt«!ii!"    Canadians !  what  are  you  about.''    poesi  it  necessarily  follow 
»piVb#cause  a  man  does  not  believe,  because  he  has  too  much  good  sense 
i^lwRliwe  in  the  imreiaginary  or  cruel  Gods  of  the  Tews,  Christians  or 
Jbmi^t  tbat  he  must  be  considered  an  aOtoi  atheiat  ?    In  relation  to  all 
t^eiiods  which  are  made  up  ofattributes  only,  without  any  substance, 
iiftllnf^be}  but  not  in  relation  to  tbat  which  is  the  cause  of  life  in  all  liv^ 
i&j|  b^MJigs,  wbetberit  be  animal  or  vegetable  life.'  I'hat  such  a  cause 
iexMifta  is  as  certain  as  it  is  certain  that  the  effect  is  true ;  and  no  man 
ye;^  wis  erer  capable  of  being  to  mt(eb  b^  ftn  Atheist  at  to  doubt  it.    But 
v^ajtmord  do  we  or  any  oneelso'kiiow^  ftbout  it?  Notite[:  just  nothing  at 
M*   it  is  this,  that  or  the  other  atrtbute^  tfaerefeitef  wMch  fanatics  at- 
tain to  this  principle  of  life,  thftt  thos9  who  «te  tilled  Atheists,  deny, 
4»l«iA  which  they  do  not  believe  i|itifti)i<)t4hoeil^fc6iice  of  the  principle 
y.    The  only  attribute  we  iltiefc  lo  it^^lHii  of  po|»!er-*-po>»rer  to 
Iwbatever  is  done-^nothii^ !««?,  «n?«l  nolfeitginoje.    The  moral  tie 
ii  binds  such  men  to  tntth^  to  apeak  the^rath^  alt  oocaaiotif,  either 
Ifcourt  or  out  of  court,  i»  that  of  jMltlitff}  aikd  he  i^fco  wiU  not  be 
%^ky  this  tie,  would  not  be  hoatt^  hy  all  the  mumoieftea  of  a  relig-  - 
i^h ;  which  are  but  a  tnere  modtery  of  the  religion  of  htm  who 
otiiiwaRdeci  hisfc  d^mf^les  to  **  swear  not  «t  all."— J5o«£jn  J^«?««%«rf#» 
Yes,  accortiing  to  ^e  gospel,  Je6tti  savs,   "SW^EAE  NOT  A^ 
'  *  !"    How  Q^1^i>9€<  then  be  Chrislians,'  who  not  oflly  ail^w  w)^^* 
di(weftr.tb0«|ielVe«^^UteompeI  o^ers  to  sweaiy^i'  to  ^^<>' Vtf 
which  is  tantamount  to  swearing,  eVten  against  thek  ei|fpi  ^»*»*^''' 
cienee  ^    Would  it  not?  he^  better,  and  even  8aferi,^?l||lE<^ 


■'>.r 


testimony  nte'ri 
against  |he  tri 
leave  hii  '    '" 
nothin 

,  Th%.^.««-, 
Unto^ie{fCrY4 
^el  aware  "j^ 
pom  l^e  tftti 

j^  Thefo^ 
jEnquifor, 
mgfl^all  L 
stence  0f  a 


>ii^o^  and  honor  ?    If  any  tli| 
_^^*l^acity  of  tlie  witness,  ^ 
.Wppns  entirely  otit  of  m 
%\if^%\%ht,  of  his  testtmc^ny. 
remarl^^from  the  Boston  inveitti 
ree  ^q^hrer,  with  remarks ;  an4 
^~'''  ^Irilh  ftirthet  comments,  as  pife  fol 


p>  Wiiic^  wa^  copied  into  the 

{Written  iji^fipom  one  of 
te  laoonaisteiil^jyi>4jafeiuri'' 
follies,  persecutlsifor 


^ 


i 


wor- 
ould 

One 
any 
need 
pre- 
8t  to 
n  in 
ings, 
that 
d  no 
eac- 
bllov 
ense 
i  or 
to  all 
ance, 
llliv- 
ause 
man 
But 
mg  at 
:s  at- 
deny, 
iciple 
ver  to 
■al  tic 
sither 
oi  be 
re  Jig-  - 
wb0 


BOTH    SIDES. 


While  relipjionibts  urg^e  the  belief  in  God  as  preliminary  to  correct 
opinions  of  other  things,  and  as  the  only  basis  on  which  to  erect  a  mor- 
al superstructure  that  will  bear  investij^ation,  or  support  its  advocates 
in  the  hour  of  temptation  or  trial ;  auti-reiigionists  deemed  the  admis- 
sion of  such  a  dogma  unworthy  a  rational  being,  calculated  to  check 
the  spirit  of  free  enquiry,  to  which  alone  they  look  for  the  discover)'  of 
all  the  truth  which  can  be  made  subservient  to  profit  or  pleasure.  It  is 
difficult  to  conceive  how  both  can  be  right,  without  granting  that  both 
may  be  wrong. 

There  is  a  God,  that  is  an  independent  existence,  extraneous  to  man  or 
there  is  not;  such  a  being  exists  or  does  not  exist,  whether  men  believe 
or  disbelieve;  thus  far  there  can  be  no  disagreement;  no  one  pretends  that 
either  affirmative  or  neorative  of  this  question  is  dependent  on  his  opinion; 
the  truth  rs  because  it  always  was  thus,  or  so,  he  merely  professes 
to  have  found  it ;  had  he  not  found  it,  it  would  nevertlieless  have  been 
the  truth.  It  is  of  more  importance  then  might  be  supposed  on  a  curso- 
ry view,  let  men  decide  as  they  may  on  this  unsettled  question^  li^  per- 
ceive that  their  decision  neither  cu  ates  nor  annihilates,  but  merely  re- 
lates to  an  antecedent  fact. 

This  being  so,  it  would  seem  that  the  mere  circumstance  of  belieC  pr 
unbelief  can  be  of  little  consequence  only  so  far  as  one  or  the  otbih: 
state  of  .nind  may  have  influence  on  the  conduct  of  life.  If  it  cVkife 
shewn  that  those  who  profess  belief  in  a  God  cannot  be  g«od  men,  be.- 
cause  such  belief  has  a  natural  tendency  to  evil,  and  reference  be 
had  to  all  the  facts  to  establish  this  tendency ;  or  if  it  be  shown  on  the 
other  hand  that  unbelief  tends  to  immorality  and  facts  be  adduced  to 
prove  that  they  are  incompatible  and  irreconcilable,  then  in  either  case 
"will  the  opponents  of  the  one,  or  the  other,  have  reason  to  press  the 
importance  of  their  dogma.  But  if  neither  can  be  done,  if  there  can 
be  found  among  those  who  believe  and  those  who  doubt,  men  eminent 
for  the  correctness  of  their  lives,  immorality  will  have  to  be  accounted 
for  on  sonde  other  principle  than  faith  or  the  want  of  it.  And  such  is 
the  fact.  There  are  good  men  of  all  opinions,  and  no  opinions  respect* 
il^bn$eeii  things,  sufficient  to  break  the  association  in  every  dispas^^ 
(ilQii^te,  unprejudiced  mind  between  opinion  and  goodness ;  hence  the 
cti^$$  of  error  must  be  sought  elsewhere  than  in  speculative  theory. 

ig^|k»ston  ilivc  in  an  article  relating  to  the  rejection  of 

rlRytn'$  testtmohjf,  has  some  very  judicious  sentiments.    Speaking 
l^^ilif  aicen^piet^cy  to  give  evidence  in  Canada,  on  account  of  his 

aS.,^afeAriM.:-.  jt'ig  aid  i— 

^  .loii  to  ill  tbe  Gods  which  are  made  up  of  a^butes  only, 

i^  Substaaiee  he  may  disbelieve  ;  but  not  in  relitiQn  to  l^at 

me  Cause  of  life  in  all  living  beings,  whether  M<^  animal  or 

iife.    That  such  a  cause  exists,  ts  liieiifliHy^  certain 

Bt  is  true,  and  no  n>an  yet  w%d  ever  ^iip|pd  ;|^]^eing  so 

L^a^eist  as  to  doubt  it    What  more  dir  "we  bi^i|g|^ne  ©lee 

it  *  ;^otUingH«st  nothing  at  all.    It  is  th^paat, ;.ei^||e 

Iter;::;' 


^;^s*u 


other  attribute,  therefore,  which  fanatics  attach  to  this  principlo  of  life, 
that  those  who  arc  called  atheists  deny,  or  in  which  they  do  not  believe^ 
and  not  the  existence  of  the  principle  itself.  The  only  attribute  wc 
n^ach  to  it  is  that  of  power — power  to  do  whatever  is  done — nothing 
less  and  nothing  more.  The  moral  tie  that  binds  such  men  to  truth — 
to  speak  the  truth  on  all  occasions,  either  in  court  or  out  of  court,  is 
that  of  utility,  and  he  who  will^  not  be  bound  by  this  tie,  would  not  be 
bound  by  all  the  mummeries  of  a  religious  oath;  which  arc  but  a  mere 
mockery  of  the  reli>rion  of  him  who  commanded  his  disciples  to  "swear 
not  at  all." 

I  have  said  or  tried  to  say,  a  thousand  times  what  is  contained  in  the 
above  paragraph,  always  pressing  it  upon  those  to  whom  it  was  said, 
that  there  is  no  belief  in  it,  but  knoudedgef  eertaiUf  positive  knowltdge. 
The  effector  consequent,  being  of  necessity  depended  on,  is  always  ab- 
solute ;  unquestionable  proof^  of  the  cause  or  antecedent ;  and  a  little 
coiin  investigation  will  show,  that  it  is  indeed  only  about  attributes 
that  men  can  dispute. 

I  for  one  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  each  man  should  have  just  such 
a  God  as  pleases  his  own  taste,  if  he  can  imagine  such  a  one  and  be^ 
lieve  in  it,  the  only  reservation  I  would  make  is,  that  he  should  not  have 
attributes  requiring  or  permitting  his  devotees  so  to  act,  that  unhappi- 
ntss  to  their  fellows  must  result  from  their  actions ;  or  ^ey  may  suit 
^lllimselves  with  attributes,  if  they  will  allow  him  quantum  sujfficit  of 
jtultice  and  impartiality.  I  trust  I  shall  not  soon  quarrel  with  my  neigh- 
bor about  his  religion,  if  his  equal  God  requires  Kim  to  do  to  others  as 
he  would  wish  them  to  do  to  him,  though  I  may  f&ult  his  morality,,  if  his 
practice  is  not  in  accor  ^ance  with  this  requisi^on. 

I  have  as  little  apprehension  of  a  rupture  with  my  neighbor  on  the 
other  hand,  for  his  scepticism ;  if  his  nature;  or  whatever  he  pleases  to 
call  it  leads  him  to  the  same  just  practice,  ht>  must  of  necessity  have 
my  approbation ;  it  is  as  in  the  oUier  case,  invciuntarv.  If  on  the  con-^ 
trary  it  permits  him  to  be  unjust,  the  blame  must  flill  on  himsolf  ;~'^I 
liowever  see  no  alternative.  If  it  would  not  be  thought  obtrusive  f  t 
would  recommend  to  both,  that  the  morality  of  th^r  systems  jihould  ^ot^ 
nmell  too  strong  of  that  which  has  obtained  currency  in  this  our  VfmVSi 


of  civilixation  and  refinement. 


JSTeW'Yifrk  Ftet 


.  0.: 


I  llave  selected  the  foregoing  article  partly  for  1^  pi 
ducing  some  remnrks  upon  the  extract  it  contaica  AfO^A: 
vestigator,  which  were  crowded  out  when  we  iii^dli^d'ji 
John  Ryan*s  case. 

Abner  Kneeland,  the  author  of  the  extract,  in  eoiiS0qti«iic«i 
merly  being  a  prominent  member  of  a  religious  soctety',  and  tM 
up,h]u9  own  eonvietions,  which  led  him  out  of  the  nturrow  eonfin^ 
ta^uusm-^j^Dbor^  lor  adhering  with  inflexible  integrity  to  W| 
BiSoto  l!!!tlil!|.''y*W^ .lift' tbi'^  in  opposition  to  his  pecuniai^ 
i^ib  his  vi^Uirable  head  the  anathemas  aB#1 
hUBKin  degradation  "rora  one  end  of^^^i 


'fc- 


Li 


w  w\  ■ 

ft?;V 

Hk'^ 

■    --^'r^. 

./7^«F^ 


55'?t,' 


9 

Let  his  brethren,  who  m  the  lans;uage  of  the  pious  crusadors  have 
iaid  to  him  "stand  off,  I  uin  liolier  than  thou;'  let  thcin  r«^ad  this  ex 
tract,  and  enquire  after  its  int;aniiio[,  htihetnask,  what  is  Athci.srn?  and 
■why  is  Abner  Kneeland  an  Atheist  ?  Is  it  'locause  he  disbelieves  in  a 
spirit  or  power  in  nature  ''ihtt.*.  is  the  cause  of  life  m  all  living^  beings;" 
certainly  not ;  for  here  is  his  own  strong  lan-,nja;^'C  to  show,  that  no  man 
was  ever  so  much  of  an  Atheist  as  to  douot  tlie  existence  of  such  a 
cause  or  spirit.  Then  what  is  it  tliat  his  brethren  persecute  him  for  ? 
Is  it  because  he  disbelieves  in  the  authenticity  of  the  Bible  ?  No — for 
all  sects  construe  the  bible  differently,  to  suit  their  own  prejudices;  and 
of  course  are  unbelievers  and  heretics  with  one  another. 

The  first  Protestant  martyr  was  Agnes  Morton,  who  was  ordered  in- 
to the  flames  by  Bishop  Shaxton  for  not  believincr  that  the  bread  and 
wine  administered  at  the  altar,  were  the  identical  flesh  and  blood  of  Je- 
sus Christ.  She  was  led  into  this  heresy  by  discovering  that  the  bread 
v/aa  liable  to  decay,  and  would  mould  like  other  bread.  But  the  lan- 
guage of  scriptnre  was  imperative,  according  tojthe  bishop.  He  said  the 
words  of  the  Saviour  were  plain,  and  could  not  be  misunderstood ;  that 
such  a  perverse  and  obstinate  disposition  ought  to  meet  an  examplary 
punishment,  and  ordered  the  flame  to  the  faggot. 

Such  now  is  about  the  difference  between  Abner  Kneeland  and  hii5 
brethren.  An  Atheist  is  one  who  rejects  the  popular  creeds  and  opin- 
ions of  the  Church,  and  Abner  Kneeland  does  not  believe  as  the  church 
believes.  He  has  discovered  that  the  bread  and  wine  administered  at 
the  altar  are  liable  to  grow  mouldy  and  sour  ;  or  in  other  words^  that 
the  idol  of  sectarianism  is  not  "  the  cause  of  life  in  all  living  beings  ;" 
and  therefore  he  must  be  thrown  into  the  fire.  But  as  they  dare  not 
burn  his  body,  they  heat  the  firey  furnace  of  bigotry  and  intolerance  ''se- 
ven times  hotter  than  it  is  wont  to  be  heated,"  then  cast  his  reputation, 
iiis  good  name,  and  all  that  is  dear  in  life  into  it.  Such  is  the  character 
of  professing  christians,  and  such  will  ever  be  the  melancholy  consequen- 
ces of  persecution  for  opinions.  The  religion  of  the  Bible  is  a  tradi- 
tional religion,  and  all  traditional  religionists  will  persecute.  Its  fol- 
lowers stray  away  from  the  living  principle  within  them  ;  they  build  up 
physical  and  intellectual  images,  made  up  of  the  whimsical  effusions  of 
th«#  pjm  strange  conceits — images  of  something  "eitlier  in  heaven  or 
earti^ ;^— >and  then,  like  Nebuchadnezzar,  require  all  sects  and  classes, 
|||Qd  UQ^J^nee,  to  fall  <1owti  and  worship  them.  All  those  who  refuse  to 
which  they  have  set  up;  all  those  whose  minds  are 
«rio5gh  to  make  an  idol  of  that  which  is  "the  cause  of  life  in 
'Wih^l»''are  Infidels,  Deists,  Atiieists,  disbelievers  in  the  ex- 
a  ^^V^hen  the  whole  offence,  carried  out  and  explained, 
^iiriore  than  a  disbelief  in  the  ima^e  or  idol  that  sectarianism 
'  Lted  :  thus  showing,  what  the  history  of  all  former  ages  has 
ithe  infidels,  so  called,  are  the  true  believers  ;  that  they  are 
^forming  to  the  law  which  Moses  gave  to  the  children  of  Is- 
iding  them  "  to  form  no  image  of  God,  of  any  thing,  either 
fv^ii  earth  ;"  while  Christian  professors  are  not  i^l^  in  the 
Hating  this  law,  but  of  making  a  breach  of  t%i|^'pretexfc 
llfjtterest  persecution  upon  thone  who  ftdhew  to  it  Iroio 

■>&<!-  ■  ■  'V,. 


^m^-: 


,/'\-^%^, 


10 


How  like  the  Pagan  worship,  that  required  all  to  make  obeisance  to 
their  idols,  or  forfeit  their  lives,  is  this  traditional  system  of  Christiani- 
ty. But  how  unlike  that  gentle  spirit  which  christians  profess  to  follow 
— that,  steady  in  its  course,  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament,  goes  on  to  con- 
quer and  subdue  all  that  is  uncharitable,  harsh  and  severe  in  the  hu- 
man character. 

This  order  or  law,  in  the  piritual  or  intellectual  world,  is  what  chris- 
tians acklfowledge  in  that  precept  which  requires  them  to  return  "good 
for  evil,"  but  is  better  understood  by  considering  it  a  spiritual  feeling, 
or  state  of  mind,  in  which  the  individual  who  lives  under  its  govern- 
ment feels  a  perpetual  tendency  to  good,  without  reference  to  evil ; 
or  in  other  words,  constantly  aims  at  increasing  his  own  happiness,  by 
promoting  that  of  others,  without  adverting  to  the  actions  of  those  which 
tend  to  counteract  this  spirit.  Like  the  laws  that  govern  the  universe: 
—we  sec  it  rains  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust ;  there  is  no  partiality  or 
distinction  shown  in  the  distribution  of  those  outward  blessings,  so  in 
the  spiritual  or  intellectual  world,  there  is  a  spirit  or  stale  of  tnind, — 
which,  without  any  variableness  or  shadow  of  turning,  aims  at  the  same 
point;  its  constant  tendency  is  to  subdue  all  bitterness  of  feeling,  strife 
and  contention,  by  its  own  mild  but  irresistible  power.  It  is  the  spirit 
of  wisdom  and  goodnesss,  and  is  the  "  cause  of  life"  or  happiness  in 
the  intellectual  Avorld.  It  is  the  possession  of  this  spirit  that  constitutes 
heaven,  a  kingdom,  which,  as  Jesus  said,  "  is  within  you  ;"  a  state  of  ex- 
istence ;  not  a  place  of  abode.  It  cannot  be  obtained  by  believing  or 
disbelieving  in  the  existence  of  either  God  or  Devil.  It  can  only 
be  acquired  by  getting  into  an  unchangeable  state  or  spirit  of  benevo- 
lence and  goodness,  and  practiisng  that  which  we  know  by  experience 
will  give  enjoyment  to  ourselves  and  others. 

This  is  the  only  true  religion,  if  religion  it  may  be  called,  which  is 
built  upon  works  and  not  upon  faith.  It  is  the  religion  of  righteous- 
ness, of  honesty  and  truth,  and  will  eventually  prevail  over  all  the  mum- 
mery and  phantasmagoria  of  holy  crafts,  with  their  wonder-working 
witchery,  or  miracles  and  traditional  systems  of  belief.  This  coming 
out  of  the  feverish  excitement  of  dreams  and  visions  into  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  sober  realities  of  life,  is  the  natural  state  of  man;  and  if 
c'arried  out  and  practised  upon  in  our  daily  transaction,  would  turn 
earth  into  a  heaven  and  hell  into  a  fable. 

Upon  this  rock  may  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues  and  !»e< 
their  church,  and  in  such  an  asylum  will  they  find  reat  anap^ 
in  creeds,  opinions,  and  systems  of  belief  they  never  can. 

Docs  not  the  history  of  all  religions  show  us  that  the  bcaHl.J 
been  those  who  believed  the  least  in  their  own  day  ?  and 
char>ge  their  character  now  ?     Has  not  the  march  of  impi 
ways  been  arrested  by  the  fear  of  unbelief?  and  do  we 
limit  to  human  knowledge,  or  abatement  in  the  superstitious^ 
G^  ?    Is  not  this  dread  of  unbelief  the  same  it  ever  was  f 
teirmintidfmd  implacable  foe  human  to  happiness.    And  "^ 
vfiij^  Ajfi<Mp^^pti  disputes  about  belief  already 

^jiff:if  iii^#(SiJmes  making  miserable  ten  times  thi 


':■/.. 


11 


\ce  to 

jtiani- 

foUow 

10  con- 

\e  hu- 


;* 


in^  friends  and  relatives  ;  and  are  they  not  now  retardin<y  all  our  im- 
provements, poisoning  our  social  enjoyments,  and  in  short  filling  the 
patii  of  life  with  thorns. 

The  religion  of  ffood  works  will  lead  us  out  of  all  this,  and  turn  us  to 
the  cultivation  of  our  faculties,  and  the  rational  enjoyment  of  the  present 
time ;  and  would  eventually  be  found  to  satisfy  all  our  craving  for  ethe- 
rial  joys,  in  distant  and  unknown  regions. 

Are  not  the  cruelties,  the  strife,  the  desolation,  that  the  speculations 
upon  unknown  subjects  have  brought  upon  the  world  sufficient  to  teacjj 
us  moderation  and  modesty  in  our  demands ;  and  make  us  suspect  that 
we  are  not  only  ignorant  of  the  future,  but  that  our  happiness  consists 
in  being  .satisfied  with  our  present  condition. 

Whatever  the  future  may  be,  either  in  time  or  eternity,  can  never  be 
realized,  and  therefore  is  nothing  to  us.  The  present  is  only  ours,  and 
that  we  have  the  means  of  enjoying  if  we  are  rightly  disposed.  The 
confidence  we  ought  to  have,  (and  would  have  if  we  were  in  a  proper 
state  of  submission  to  the  existing  order  of  things)  that  the  power  that 
gave  us  life,  can  best  dispose  of  ur?  after  death,  would  be  ample  com- 
pensation for  the  loss  of  all  the  anxious  hopes  and  fears  of  a  future  state. 

Delaware  Free  Press. 

Most  of  the  Constitutions  of  the  several  states,  as  well  as  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States,  leaves  the  people  perfectly  free  as  to  reli- 
gious opinions.  Nevertheless  it  is  not  so  with  all.  The  third  article 
of  the  Declaration  of  Rights,  in  the  Massachusetts  Constitution,  not  on- 
ly authorized,  but  required,  "the  public  worship  of  God,  and  the  sup- 
port and  maintenance  of  public  Protestant  teachers  of  piety,"  &lc.  and 
also  "to  enjoin  an  attendance,"  &c.  Yet  liberty  was  granted  to  towns, 
parishes,  &c.  "the  right  of  electing  their  public  teachers  and  contract- 
ing with  them  for  their  support  and  maintenance." 

This  article  is  now  altered  and  made  much  more  liberal,  though,  still, 
it  is  not  so  liberal  as  it  should  be. 

The  Constitution  of  New  York  provides,  art.  28,  "that  the  free  exer- 
cise an4  enjoyment  of  religious  profession  and  worship,  without  discriru- 
ination  or  preference,  shall  forever  hereafter  be  alloAvcd  within  this 
state  to  all  mankind." 

}$  alilQ  excludes  "ministers  of  the  Gospel,  under  any  pmtonce  or  de- 
«fei*'!pUc^%lib'»tever,   from  holding  any  civil    or  military  office    or  place 
"*'"'''*' 'itate." 

Itution  of  New  Jersey,  art  18,  says,  "that  no  person  shall 

this  colony  be  deprived  of  the  inestimable  privilege  of  wor- 

ighty  God  in  a  manner  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  his 

"  Alc.     But  in  art.  U),  tiie  liberty,  as  expressed,  seems 

iO  protestants  ;  whicii  is  implied  in  these  words ;  "and  that 

inhabitant  of  this  colony   shall  be  denied  the   enjoyment 

ht,  merely  on  account  of  his  religious  principles."    The 

k^ro,  would  seem  to  he,  ara  Free  E.iquirers,  in  any   pro- 

^word,  "protestants  r"     Why    are  they    not  ?    They 

lies,  and  no  one  protests  more  againi^  all  l^super- 

g  pjwer  of  the  Pope  than  Uie^ii*  ^  B*Jt  whether 


^'.^ 


4 


I'-i- 


I  i 


12 

they  can  be  said  to  be  "professing  a  belief  in  the  faith  of  any  protestant 
sect,"  is  porhaps  anothor  question  ;  and  hence,  altho;>p'h  all  such  per- 
sons *'shall  bo  capable  of  beiuij  elected  into  any  office  of  profit  or 
trust,"  &c.  "and  shall  fully  and  freely  enjoy  every  privilege  and  immu- 
nity enjoyed  by  others  of  their  foUovv  suhjects,"  yet  it  does  not  per- 
haps, necessarily  follow,  that,  Free  Enquirers  are  to  have  this  priv- 
ilecje. 

In  the  Constitution  of  Pennsylvania,  Declaration,  art.  2d,  after  de- 
claring; "'that  all  men  have  a  natural  and  unalienable  right  to  worship 
Almighty  God  dccording  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience  and 
understanding,"  declares,  "nor  can  any  man  who  acknowledges  the  be- 
ing of  a  God,  be  justly  deprived  or  abridged  of  any  civil  right  as  a  cit- 
izen, on  account  of  his  religious  sentiments,  or  peculiar  mode  of  religi- 
ous worship :"  Sic. 

Yet,  rather  inconsistent  with  the  above,  in  the  Plan  or  Frame  of 
Government,  art.  10, «  ach  member  of  tlio  Lejrislature,  before  he  takes 
his  seat,  is  made  to  acknowledge  not  only  his  belief  in  God,  "the  Cre- 
ator and  Governorof  the  Universe,"  but  also  he  must  subscribe  to  the 
following,  "I  do  acknowledge  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment to  be  given  by  divine  inspiration." 

This  is  the  only  "religious  test;"  but  even  here,  "each  Member"  is 
made  to  acknowledge  what  no  one  knows,  or  can  know  to  be  true,  and 
Virhat  reason  and  common  sense  show  to  be  false,  in  any  other  sense 
than  that  every  book  is  given  by  inspiration  ;  for  "there  is  a  spirit  in 
man.  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  him  understanding." 
Job,  xxxii.  a. 

In  the  Constitution  of  the  Stat/^  of  Delaware  the  same  "unalienable 
right"  is  recognized ;  and,  in  the  Declaration,  it  says, — 

%/lrt.  3.  "That  all  persons  professing  the  Christian  religion,  ought 
forever  to  enjoy  equal  rights  and  privileges  in  this  state,  unless  under 
rolor  of  religion  any  man  disturb  the  peace,  the  happiness,  or  safety  of 
society." 

The  Constitution  of  that  state,  like  the  present  Constitution  of  the 
.State  of  New  York,  precludes  clergymen  of  any  denomination  from 
"holdinof  anv  civil  office  in  the  stale." 

The  Constitution  of  North  Carolina  guarantees,  art.  19,  "That  aU 
men  have  a  natural  and  unalienable  right  to  worship  Almighty  God  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consicence."  Here  Sie  imibieet  ul 
left  without  any  restrictions  whatever. 

The  Constitution  of  South  Carolina,  art.  13,  says,  "The  qU 
of  electors  shall  be,  that  every  free  white  man,  and  no  othof^ ' 
acknowledges  the  being  of  a  God,  and  believes  in  a  futui 
wards  ant]  punishments,"   &c.  &c.  (many   other  qualifiC' 
be  deemed  a  person  qualified  to  vote,"  &c.     And  "no  p« 
eligible  to  ait  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  unless  ho  bii^ 
tcstant  religion,"  &c.    What  an  excellent  mode  of  makj 
This  state  aleo  excludes  clergymen  from  holding  any 
vil  offic0s»  of  state. 

Article  -3^,  aftw  tolerating,  "nil  aersona  and  reU 


.'hML 


I 


.♦^'ilrt-»- 


I 


testant 
|h  per- 
rofit  or 
iinmu- 
kot  per- 
ls  priv- 

tcr   de- 

|worship 

ice  and 

the  be- 

is  a  cit- 

)freligi- 

irame  of 
le  takes 
he  Cre- 
e  to  the 
w  Testa- 

mber"  is 

true,  and 

icr  sense 

spirit  in 

tanding." 

lalienable 

ion,  ought 

3SS  under 

safety  of 

on  of  the 
ion  from 

That  all 
f  God  acr 
subject  iA 


u 


13 

uokriowledgc  that  Urtg  ts  one  God,"  «fcc.  says,  "The*  Ciiristian  Protes- 
tant relinfion  .-hall  be  deemed,  and  is  hereby  constituted  and  declared  to' 
be  the  cstablibhcd  religion  of  this  state." 

Art.  72.  ''No  clergyman,  of  any  denomination  t-uall  be  allowed  a 
seat  in  the  legislature." 

The  above  extracts  arc  all  taken  from  a  London  edition,  by  the  Rev 
William  Jackson,  1783. 

As  to  the  row  Constitution  which  have  been  aboi)ted(for  .some  ofthf; 
states  had  no  Constitutions  at  that  period)  or  the  revision,  amendment. 
or  alterations  which  liave  taken  place  m  the  old  ones,  we  have  at  this 
moment  no  means  of  knowing  ;  we  only  know  that  the  change,  so  far 
as  there  has  been  any,  is  in  favour  of  the  free  exercise  of  religious,  or 
even  what  may  be  thought  by  some,  irreligious  opinions,  and  the  re- 
moval of  all  supposed  disability,  or  disqualification,  for  the  full  en 
joyment  of  any  civil  right  and  privilege  on  that  account. 

But  this  question  does  not,  or  at  least  it  should  not  depend  on  any  au- 
thority constituted  by  men ;  but  on  the  unalienable  right  of  each  and 
every  individual  of  the  human  race,  consequent  on  his  existence,  and 
growing  out  of  the  plain  simple  truth  and  nature  of  things.  Man  eith- 
er can  help  his  opinions  or  he  cannot.  If  he  cannot,  as  is  evidently  the 
fact,  to  punish  him  for  holding  any  opinion  whatever,  and  what  is  dis- 
franchizing man,  the  taking  away  of  any  civil  right,  but  a  punishment  ? 
It  is  punishing  man  either  for  what  is  right  in  itself,or  else  for  what  is 
his  misfortune,  not  his  fault.  If  a  man  has  been  so  unfortunate,  there- 
fore, as  to  come  to  an  erroneous  conclusion  on  any  given  subject,should 
not  that,  in  itself,  be  considered  a  misfortune  sufficiently  great,  with- 
out taking  away  any  civil  privilege  on  that  accouut  ? — a  civil 
privilege  which  as  an  honest  man,  he  ought  to  enjoy,  and  has  still 
a  right  to  enjoy,  notwithstanding  his  supposed  mi.^fortune ;  why 
should  this  privilege  also  be  taken  away  in  addition  to  what 
he  has  already  suffered  if  his  conclusion  be  erroneous.  But  if  his  con- 
clusion should  turn  out,  after  all,  to  be  the  truth,  though  he  might  differ 
from  all  the  world  besides,  would  it  not  be  hard,  would  not  the  publicf 
on  the  wholo  be  the  loser,  as  well  as  the  individual  be  the  sufferer,  to 
punish  a  man  for  holding  to  the  truth,  and  fur  having  the  moral  courage 
to  avow  it  ? 

ExtriKtofahtter  to  Mr.  Rijan,  da{ed  ,Vau  For/t,  June  26f/i  1833. 

''I  j^y^  0ympatlu6ed  with  you,  my  friend  in  your  privations  and  per- 

;a8  an  individual  you  suffer  ;  as  a  constitutnt  part  of  the  great 

'"lip  the  advancement  of  a  common  cause.     Believers  say  that 

lot  to  be  attained   but  by    suffering  in    every  successive 

jrience  shows  that  victim  afler  victim  has  to  be  offered 

the  ignorance  of  nan.     Ti  you  can  find  any  consolation 

m  that  your  trials  siiall  prove  a  public  benefit,!  hope  you 

jelfofit.     We   had  beiler   be  conscientious,  and    truafc 

I  for  one  however  wish  that  this  were  the  eituatiion 

fellow  feeling  as  I  am  susceptible  <^,  I  subscribe 

.^os  Gilbert. 


.«« 


14 


i 

ii 


The  following  extract  from  a  late  English  work  w)ll  fully  corrobor- 
ate the  doctrine  contained  in  the  above  statements. 

'*  The  fundamental  error,  of  imputing  guilt  to  a  man  on  account  of  his 
opinions,  has  shrunk  within  narrower  bounds  ;  but  still  it  is  far  from  be- 
ing exterminated.  Men  have  extended  their  sphere  of  liberality,  tliey 
have  expanded  their  system  of  toleration,  but  it  is  not  yet  without  limits. 
There  is  still  a  boundary  in  speculation,  beyond  which  no  one  is  allowed 
to  proceed  ;  at  which  innocence  terminates  and  guilt  commenceH! ;  a 
boundary  not  fixed  and  determinate,  but  varying  with  the  creed  of  every 
parly. 

**  Although  the  advanced  civilization  of  the  age  rejects  the  palpably 
absurd  application  of  torture  and  death,  it  is  not  to  be  concealed,  that, 
amongst  a  numerous  clas.-?,  there  is  an  analogous,  though  less  barbarous 
persecution,  of  all  who  depart  from  received  doctrines — the  persecution 
of  private  antipathy  and  public  odium.  They  are  looked  upon  as  a  spe- 
cies of  criminals,  and  their  deviations  from  established  opinions,  or,  if 
uny  one  prefers  the  pliraso,  their  speculative  errors,  are  regarded  by 
many  with  as  much  horror  as  flagrant  violations  of  morality.  In  tlie  or- 
dinary ranks  of  men,  wiiare  exploded  prejudices  often  linger  for  ages, 
this  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at ;  but  it  is  painful,  and  on  lirst  view  un- 
accountable, to  witness  the  prevalence  of  the  same  spirit  in  the  republic 
of  letters :— to  see  mistakes  in  speculation  pursued  with  all  the 
warmth  of  moral  indignation  and  reproach.  He  who  believes  an  opin- 
ion on  the  authority  of  others — wlio  has  taken  no  pains  to  investigate 
Its  claims  to  credibility,  nor  weighed  the  objections  to  the  evidence  on 
■which  it  rests,  is  lauded  for  his  acquieser.ee,  while  obliquy  from  every 
side  is  too  often  heaped  on  the  man  who  has  nnnutely  searched  into  the 
subject,  and  been  led  to  the  oppo.site  conclusion.  There  are  few  things 
more  disgusting  to  an  onliohtunod  mind  than  to  see  a  number  of  men,  a 
mob,  wiietber  learned  or  illiterate,  who  have  never  scrutinized  the  foun- 
dation of  their  oi)ir.ioiis,  assailing  with  contumely  an  individual,  who, 
after  the  labour  ot  reseurcii  and  reflection,  has  adopted  different  sen- 
timents from  theirs,  and  pluming  themselves  on  the  notion  of  superior 
Virtue,  because  their  understandings  have  been  tenacious  of  preju- 
tiice. 

"This  conduct  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  on  every  side  we  meet 
with  the  admission,  that  belief  is  not  dependent  on  the  will;  and 
yet  the  same  men,  by  whom  this  admission  is  readily  made,  will  a^gue 
and  inveigh  on  the  virtual  assumj)tionof  the  contrary.  >, 

"Tiiis  is  a  dtri!<iiig  proof,  amongst  a  multitude  of  others,  of  wh%4be 
thinking  mind  must  have  frequently  observed,  that  a  principle  W.-^^l^^&v 
retained  in  its  applicutions,  long  after  it  has  been   discarded?     *^' 
stract  proposition.     In  a  subject  of  so  mucli  importance,  hoWji 
hoves  intelligent  men  to  be  rigidly  consistent.     If  our  opini 
voluntary,  but  independent,  of  the  will,   tiie  contrary    doctH 
ita  consequences  ought  to  be  practically    abandoned  ;    they 
b0   weeded  from    the  sentiments,    habits,  and   instituta<)ij 
ty.    We  m*y  venture  to  assert,  that    neither  the  virtj, 
pineas    of  man 'will   ever    be    placed    on    a    pe^ " 
till  thia  fui:i*flieAl«l  ^xtoi   has  been   extirpate 
«aind»'* 


I 


J 


)or- 


le* ;  a 
bverv 


[pably 
that, 

;ution 
ja  spe- 
lt or,  if 
jed  by? 
:he  or- 
ir  ag-ei*. 


■5:  I- 


